University of Languages and International Studies, VNU – Hanoi

FACULTY OF LINGUISTICS AND CULTURES OF ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES

Division of International Studies
INTRODUCTION TO BRITISH & AMERICAN STUDIES
Course Code: ENG2052
Course Status: Required
Prerequisites: English proficiency B2-CEFR or ENG4028 + ENG4029 +
ENG4039
Number of credits: 03
Language of instruction: English
Class size: 20-30 students
Unit: Division of International Studies :
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/internationalstudiesulis/
Wordpress: https://quoctehoc.wordpress.com/
Lecturer: Nguyen Dieu Hong, MA
(Email: dieuhongnguyen@gmail.com, Phone: 0912370696)

OVERVIEW
This course aims to foster critical understanding of some of the key constructs in
studying the British and the American, namely nation, nation-state, culture, identity,
and power. As you examine the British and American society in these terms, you are
encouraged to attend to how you yourself relate to what is presented as the British and
the American. Be aware of your limits of thought and recognizant of different
perspectives. As well, this course is practical in the sense that it offers language to
participate in common conversations about the two peoples and countries.

OBJECTIVES
If you successfully complete the course, you will demonstrate the following
competences:
Knowledge
● Understand key concepts in studying the UK and the US, namely nation,
nation state, culture, identity, and power.
● Understand how British and American histories, modern beliefs and values,
national systems of politics, economy, and education, everyday life activities
are constructed and organized.
● Apply these understandings in relevant conversations.
Skills
● Conduct a seminar in English on a given topic.
● Work in teams to achieve planned goals.
Attitudes
● Be responsible for social issues
● Respect differences

ASSESSMENT
Quizzes (15%)

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This element of assessment provides a frame of practice that supports students’
regular reading of course materials and acquisition of basic vocabulary about the UK
and the US. The teacher may deliver a lecture, receive and answer questions before
giving the quizzes, but you are supposed to be able to answer the questions in the
quizzes due to your reading of the relevant prescribed texts before coming to class.
Seminars: Presentation & Discussion (25%)
This course features 03 student led seminars, whose topics and key questions
are given and specified in the description of the course’s contents, materials and
schedule.
The seminars are case studies aiming to allow participants to see the
complexity of contemporary social phenomena, to become open to multiple
perspectives, to formulate and articulate ethical commitments.
You will work in groups to prepare for, participate in, and lead 06 seminars
during the course. There should be 06 groups. Each seminar will be led by two
groups. The leading groups make oral presentations to introduce the issues of interest
and then facilitate in-class discussions of the issues. Before leading a seminar, make
sure that you have sent a detailed plan of your presentation and discussion to your
teacher and received feedback. To participate in the in-class discussions, the other
groups must get prepared by at least having read the relevant prescribed texts before
coming to class.
Not only your presentation and facilitation as leaders but also your
participation as common participants is evaluated. Your performance is graded
individually. Prepare a detailed report of each member’s contributions if you want
your teacher to see beyond what is observable in class.

Grading Criteria

1. Addressing the Thoughtful organization 1

issue(s)
Sufficient information 1

Multiple perspectives 1

Logical arguments 1

Relevant and interesting details 1

2. Performing the Intelligible, effective, and beautiful language 2

presentation

3. Leading the Thoughtful questions, answers, and comments 1

discussion

4. Collaborating Positively contributive to the group’s performance 1

as a whole

5. Participating in Thoughtful questions, answers, and comments 1

seminars led by
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 other groups

Total 10

Sitting Exam (60%)

The final exam consists of two parts. One includes structured questions about
basic concepts and facts that you have been familiarized with during the course. The
other asks you to write a short essay that addresses one or some of the issues
discussed in the seminars.
See Guidelines for Reviewing the Course

CONTENTS, MATERIALS, & SCHEDULE

Week 1: Introduction
● Course Introduction
● Introduction to British and American Studies
○ What is Britain (the UK)? What is America (the US)? (country, idea,
and both)
○ What does being British/American mean? (citizenship, culture,
belonging, identity, value, stereotype)
○ Why are we studying the UK and the US, not Botswana and Russia,
for example? (power, relation, positionality)
○ Give examples to illustrate the following statement: ‘Britain’/
‘America’ is a set of places, peoples, and ideas that are always
contested and which change with the political, economic, and social
tides of history.
● Nation State, Nation, Culture, Identity, and Power as Organizing Concepts in
Country Studies

Prescribed texts
Introduction to British and American Studies (2023). Chapter 1. Division of
Country Studies
Other resources
British Studies, the Latest Import from the US?
Cultural Studies
American Studies

Weeks 2 + 3: Brief History of the UK and the US // Quiz 1

Why study history?
● In our time, the dominant history of a country is usually a history of wars.
What does this kind of history often tell you?
● Briefly describe the following significant events and periods in the making of
the UK and the US (as sovereign states and empires) as they appear in
common historical accounts. Notice that the same years might belong to
different historical periods. How is this possible? From your knowledge of
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 these historical events and periods, name some of the key issues in/emerging
from the ongoing formation of the UK and US.
○ The UK: Birth of the Union (1707), Acts of Union (1800), Napoleonic
Wars (1803-1815), Victorian Era (1837-1901), UK Decolonization
(1945-1975), Thatcher Era (1979-?)
○ The US: American Civil War (1861-1865), Jim Crow Era (1876–
1965), First Red Scare (1917-1920), Second Red Scare (194ii7-1957),
American Civil Rights Movement (1954-1968), Vietnam War (1955-
1975), Reagan Era (1980-?)
○ The UK & the US: Boston Tea Party (1773), American Revolution
(1765-1783), First-wave Feminism (19th century–early 20th century),
World War I (1914-1918), Paris Peace Conference (1920), Roaring
Twenties (1920s), The Great Depression (1929-1939), World War II
(1939-1945), Bretton Woods Conference (1944), Washington
Conversations on International Peace and Security Organization
(1944), Cold War (1947-1991), Second-wave Feminism (1960s-
1970s), War on Terror (2001-present)
● UK-US relations: What does the Special Relationship mean? How has the
relationship between the UK and the US changed over time?

Prescribed texts
Introduction to British and American Studies (2023). Chapter 2. Division of
Country Studies.
The Difference between the United Kingdom, Great Britain and England
Explained (Video, CGP Grey 5:14)
How America Became a Superpower (Video, Vox 8:55)
Special Relationship (Wikipedia)
35 Maps that Explain how America is a Nation of Immigrants (Vox, January
12, 2015; updated 2017)
Other resources
British Empire in Colour (Part 1, 2, 3 of 3)
BBC - Andrew Marr: The Making of Modern Britain 720p (Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
of 6)
American Imperialism: Crash Course US History #28 (Video, CrashCourse,
14:03)

Week 4: National Beliefs and Values

● What are some of the beliefs and values that are usually claimed as British and
American? How is this possible to make these claims? (history, evidence)
● What is “the American dream”?
● What is American exceptionalism? Describe instances of American
exceptionalism.
Prescribed texts
Introduction to British and American Studies (2023). Chapter 3. Division of
Country Studies.
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Other resources
The Cost of the American Dream

Weeks 5+6: British and American Political Systems: An Overview //

Quiz 2
● Forms of government
● Constitution, passage of a bill, election
● UK: fusion of powers, monarchy, government, parliament
● US: federalism, separation of powers, branches of government, checks and
balances
Prescribed texts
Introduction to British and American Studies (2023). Chapter 4. Division of
Country Studies.
Other resources
Parliamentary vs. Presidential Democracy Explained
An Introduction to Parliament

Weeks 7+8: British and American Economic Systems // Quiz 3

• Theoretical foundation: Free enterprise system
• UK & US: Economic structure & economic performance
• UK: Financial institutions, workforce and employment, trade unions,
challenges facing UK economy
• US: History of American Industrial growth, challenges facing US economy
Prescribed texts
Introduction to British and American Studies (2023). Chapter 5. Division of
International Studies.
Other resources
2017 Index of Economic Freedom
Thatcherism and the End of the Post-War Consensus
Market Economy: Crash Course Government and Politics
The role of financial services in the UK economy
Entrepreneurs are GREAT Part 1, Part 2
The City of London - Money and Power Part 1, Part 2

Week 9: Revision 1 + Preparation for Seminars

Week 10: Seminar 1– The Ban on Abortions, Democracy & The

Balance of Power
● Presentation 1: The case Roe v. Wade
o Context: When and how did the case make its way to the Supreme
Court? What was the social and political context at that time?
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 o Case summary: Who represented the two sides? What was Roe’s claim
in the case?
o Supreme Court’s decision: What was the final ruling? What arguments
were raised to support the majority decision vs. the dissent? What is the
controversy around the ruling? (E.g. Did these arguments primarily
rely on moral, legal, or empirical grounds*? What other factors
contributed to the controversy?)
o Impact: What is the significance of the Supreme Court’s ruling? What
was the impact on abortion access across the US? What was its impact
on other laws or on related social outcomes (such as health and well-
being, gender equality, income equality)?
● Presentation 2: Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (the
overturning of Roe v. Wade)
o Context: When and how did the case make its way to the Supreme
Court? What was the public opinion about the issue? Please consult
and cite specific surveys and note the exact wording of the questions
asked.
o Case summary: Who represented the two sides? What was Jackson
WHO’s claim in the case?
o Supreme Court’s decision: What was the final ruling? What arguments
were raised to support the majority decision vs. the dissent? What is
the controversy around the ruling?
o Impact & reaction: How did the American public react to the decision?
What has been the impact of the decision on abortion access across the
US? On women’ s life?
• Discussion:
1. How did the Supreme Court’s decision interact with state laws about
abortion in each case?
2. An article in the Guardian called the ruling “a mockery of democracy”. Do
you agree or disagree with the article?

Prescribed texts
How a case gets to the US Supreme Court

Roe v. Wade Case Summary: What You Need to Know

Roe overturned: What you need to know about the Supreme Court abortion
decision

Other resources
Key concepts & history of abortion rights in the US
5 Từ tiếng Anh để hiểu vì sao quyền phá thai ở nhiều nơi gây tranh cãi thế | Vietcetera
Abortion in America: A Visual Timeline - ABC News (go.com)
History of Abortion Rights and Laws in America - An Animation - YouTube (5:36)
Case summaries
Roe v. Wade: Decision, Summary & Background - HISTORY
Roe v. Wade: Supreme Court’s Opinion - Summary and Annotations
Roe v. Wade: Case Brief Summary | Law Case Explained (5:45)
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The Path to Dobbs: The Supreme Court and Abortion Rights (5:56)
How The Supreme Court Killed Roe v. Wade (27:12) **
The Dobbs v. Jackson Decision, Annotated (The New York Times)
Public Opinion on Abortion
https://news.gallup.com/poll/1576/abortion.aspx
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/fact-sheet/public-opinion-on-abortion/
https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2022/07/06/majority-of-public-disapproves-of-
supreme-courts-decision-to-overturn-roe-v-wade/
Outcomes
Roe v. Wade: The Aftermath of one of the Most Controversial Supreme Court
Decisions
Abortion ruling prompts variety of reactions from states (AP news)
How overturning Roe will adversely affect historically marginalized women

Essay question for the final exam

Democracy is a Western concept, generally understood as the power or the rule of the
people. When the US Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion,
reversing Roe v. Wade, an article in the Guardian called the ruling “a mockery of
democracy”.
Write an essay of about 400 words to discuss the issue. Your answer should make clear
what the decision means, whether you think it is undemocratic and why/why not, and
how Americans can exercise democracy in this matter within the social and political
reality of the US?
Week 11: Seminar 2 – Brexit & Economic Reasoning
● Presentation 1: Brexit – Background information and non-economic
arguments
○ Present a brief history of British Euroscepticism.
○ What is Brexit? Describe the main events of Brexit.
○ Describe the patterns of voting in the EU referendum
○ What are non-economic arguments for and against Brexit? Who have
presented them? What evidences have they given? How have the
arguments been criticized?
● Presentation 2: Economic arguments for and against Brexit
○ What are economic arguments for and against Brexit? Who have
presented them? What evidences have they given? How have the
arguments been criticized?
○ What are the economic issues that the UK negotiated with EU as the
country left EU?
● Discussion: How do the economic arguments display identity politics
(claims made about groups of people)?
Essay question for the final exam

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2. What were the main economic arguments for Brexit? Are these arguments
supported by evidence? Write an essay of about 400 words to answer these questions.
Reference the relevant economic outcomes of Brexit when possible.
3. A recent study* suggested that Brexit voters were more motivated by identity than
economics. Specifically, individuals with stronger British identity are more supportive
of Leave. In addition, those who claim to be British only are less pro-Leave than those
who see themselves as English only or British and English.
Write an essay of about 400 words to discuss this issue. Your answer should
summarize the voting pattern of the different regions of the UK and its aftermath, and
explain why identity may help explain this voting pattern.
* See the study (full text available) at
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1468-4446.12790?af=R

Prescribed texts
British Euroscepticism: a brief history
Post-Brexit Guide: What's been the impact — and how did it happen?
https://www.euronews.com/2021/06/23/brexit-draft-deal-first-of-many-hurdles-to-a-
smooth-exit
Local Voting Figures Shed New Light on EU Referendum
Understanding Brexit - The UK votes to leave the EU: https://youtu.be/xsev9DP10f8
Why Brexit happened -- and what to do next | TEDtalk Alexander Betts:
https://youtu.be/dcwuBo4PvE0

Other resources
Identity Politics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl-27JjJk-I
Brexit guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
What is in the Brexit deal? https://www.investopedia.com/what-is-in-the-brexit-deal-
5093948
The Brexit Debate Explained in 2 Minutes
Arguments made for and against Brexit
Brexit and the Economy: The Facts Explained
Brexit guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Brexit: The Movie

Weeks 11+12: British and American Educational Systems // Quiz 4

● Modern education systems: What is education for?
● What key moments have shaped the British and American educational systems
respectively?
● What are contemporary debates on education in Britain and the States? What
solutions have been proposed?
Prescribed texts
Introduction to British and American Studies (2023). Chapter 6. Division of
Country Studies.
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Other resources
The purpose of education
Pink Floyd Another brick in the wall (Video)
Education reform has failed to improve social mobility
British schools explained Anglophenia Ep. 25 (Video)
British Education System Being British: Joel & Lia (Video)
Q&A: The American school system
CNN Films: Ivory Tower Trailer

Week 14: Seminar 3 – American Public Schools in Education

Reforms
Presentation 1: Overview of the movie and the stratification of schools in the US
• Basic information about the film:
o Who made it? When did it come out? What is it about? How has it
been received?
o What schools were portrayed in the film? What types of schools are
they? How were they portrayed?
o What students were portrayed in the film and how?
• Contextualize the film and its arguments by comparing the different types of
primary & secondary educational institutions (state school, private
school, charter school, magnet school) in the US regarding origin, funding,
admission, autonomy and performance
• Using the evidence above to evaluate the argument that (1) public schools are
failing and (2) charter schools are a better alternative and can help address
inequality in education.
Presentation 2: Review of teachers’ issues
• What teachers and educational leaders were portrayed in the film and how?
• Summarize the claims the film makes about the following teachers’ issues
o Teachers’ role
o Teaching standards, appraisal and tenure
o Teachers’ unions
o No Child Left Behind
• Contextualize the film by researching and describing the context, goals,
impacts and current state of No Child Left Behind and teachers’ unions.
• Using the evidence above to evaluate the arguments that (1) there is
inequitable distribution of qualified teachers, and (2) teachers’ unions are an
obstacle to educational reforms.
Discussion:
• What individual decisions and structural factors may contribute to the
problems in public schools in the US?

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 • How can/should the quality of education be measured? To what extent should
teachers be held responsible for the quality of education?
Essay question for the final exam: The documentary ‘Waiting for Superman’ suggests
that public schools in the US are failing and that charter schools are a better alternative
than traditional public schools. Write an essay of about 400 words to discuss this issue.
Your answer should articulate how you agree or disagree with the argument. It should
distinguish charter schools and traditional public schools, summarize the achievements
and problems of charter schools, and discuss the impact of expanding charter schools
on the existing public school system. Use specific examples and evidence to support
your answer.
Prescribed texts
“Waiting for Superman,” a 2010 American documentary film directed by
Davis Guggenheim
✓ Link to watch online: Vietsub
✓ Link to download: Movie & English subtitles
Waiting for “Superman” (Wikipedia)
Waiting for “Superman” (IMDb)
Other resources:
Understanding Charter Schools vs. Public Schools
What Are Charter Schools?
Public and private school comparison (NCES provides a lot of other related statistics)
2022 Teacher Certification
No Child Left Behind Act
‘Highly Qualified Teachers’ according to NCLB
Teacher quality gaps in U.S. public schools: Trends, sources, and implications
Are Teacher Unions a Help or Hindrance to Public Education?
The Impacts of Teachers’ Unions on Educational Outcomes
Waiting for Superman discussion guide
http://www.takepart.com/sites/default/files/Ford_FINAL_Waiting_for_Superman_Communit
y_Discussion_Guide.pdf
The Myth of Charter Schools: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2010/11/11/myth-charter-
schools/
Video Analysis: Waiting for “Superman”:
http://commons.trincoll.edu/edreform/2013/02/waiting-for-superman/

**Articles about social inequality in the US public school system by Jean Anyon:
"Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum" (and the summary of this article in Vietnamese)
NCLB as an anti-poverty program

(SELF-STUDY)
Week 14: British and American Cultures of Everyday Life
● Enjoy details of everyday life cultures.
● Reflect on decisions in disseminating stereotypes and overgeneralizations.
● Reflect on practices of freedom.

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Prescribed texts
Introduction to British and American Studies (2023). Chapter 7. Division of
Country Studies.

Seminar 4 – Watching British and American Lives (Self-study)

● Presentation 1: Motherhood in Boyhood (2014)
○ Key information about and synopsis of the movie
○ Select and present the visuals that demonstrate the aging of the
mother’s body over 12 years
○ Select and present the visuals that demonstrate what the mother does to
take care of her children.
○ How do the mother’s circumstances define her children’s
circumstances?
○ Describe the mother’s social life. Does she have a career for herself?
○ What do you see as the mother’s ‘flaws’?
● Presentation 2: Working-class women in All or Nothing (2002)
○ Key information about and synopsis of the movie
○ Describe the social and domestic working conditions of the female
characters in the movie. Select and present the visuals that demonstrate
these conditions.
○ How do their circumstances affect the way they relate to their family
members?
○ Describe some of the male-female relationships in the movie.
○ How do the female characters struggle to deal with distress, survive
and maintain dignity?
● Open discussions
Essay questions for the final exam:
5. What does the movie All or Nothing (2002) allow you to see about the struggles of
‘the working class’ in the UK in the early 2000s? What does the movie suggest as the
redeeming characteristic in their life? Write an essay of about 400 words to address
the question. Your answer should attend to their economic and domestic conditions
and one aspect of material culture. It should additionally address the overall theme of
the movie. Use specific examples and evidence to support your answer.
6. Boyhood (2014) has been described as a portrait of a ‘normal’ or ‘ordinary’
American family. In which way the family portrayed here is ‘normal’ and in which
way is it not? Write an essay of about 400 words to discuss the issue. Your answer
should rely on an understanding of being ‘normal’ in an American context and
specific examples to demonstrate how the phenomenon of attention is normal or not.

Prescribed texts
Boyhood, a 2014 American coming-of-age film written and directed
by Richard Linklater
Boyhood (2014) (IMDb)
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 Boyhood (2014) (Wikipedia)
All or Nothing, a 2002 British drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh
All or Nothing (2002) (IMDb)
All or Nothing (2002) (Wikipedia)
Muddling Through, Souls Shredded but Intact
Alternatives
Pariah, a 2011 American art drama film written and directed by Dee Rees
Pariah (2011) (IMDb)
Pariah (2011) (Wikipedia)
Another Year, a 2010 British comedy-drama film written and directed
by Mike Leigh
Another Year (2010) (IMDb)
Another Year (2010) (Wikipedia)

Week 15: Review

GENERAL CLASS POLICIES

Discussion: Contribute to discussion each class and participate in all small group activities
Readings: Complete readings by the day assigned. Bring the textbook to class.
Class Time: Being significantly tardy or leaving early will result in you being marked
absent.
Absences: Keep your teacher informed about your absence if possible. You are allowed 03
unexcused absences, and this doesn’t mean that you should use up all these opportunities
and then try to make excuses for other absences. Absences may be excused only for very
limited reasons (including hospitalization).
Late/Missed Assignments: The schedule of the quizzes and seminars is fixed. If your
missing one or some of them affects your final grade severely, please discuss the problem
with your teacher. If the teacher does not manage to propose any alternative measure of
assessment or deadline, please accept the fact that your grade does not meet your
expectation.
Academic Integrity: Academic dishonesty is not tolerated. Penalties are an F on the
assignment and an F in the course.
Always communicate with your teacher first if you encounter any problem with the course.
If you run into problems that call for a third party, contact the course coordinator.

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